It seems only fair that Kaname has a bad day of her own, considering its always Sousuke whom we decide to pick on nine times out of ten. Gotta say, halfway through this thing I was starting to feel really guilty about putting Kaname through so much, but it had to be done. I'm still working on finishing up some of my other much needed updates, but they will be posted as soon as I'm able. Hope you enjoy it!
Worst Day Ever
Kaname rolled over, an annoyed and sleepy groan drifting out from under her plush blankets. The study session she'd had with Sousuke the night before had ended around one in the morning, but thankfully it seemed as if he was finally understanding the material enough to handle things on his own. Since they had started dating a few months earlier, it seemed to have a positive effect on his academics and overall school life, much to the joy of the school faculty. The shoe lockers had remained in somewhat their original state, and the only real recent incident had occurred two weeks ago when someone on the street had been unfortunate enough to try pick-pocketing his school bag.
The night before had been a particularly grueling study session on his worst subject: Japanese History. So of course Kaname should have guessed that it would have run a little later than normal, especially with the make-out breaks she had initiated when she felt the need to congratulate his progress. Still, sometimes the morning came far too early for her liking. Curling her legs under her, she sat up with a yawn, the blankets falling off her shoulders in a quiet heap behind her. Leaning over, she reached out to silence the alarm's absurdly cute squawking. Her hand landing softly over the chicken's head, her blood ran cold as her eyes focused on the time displayed on the clock's stomach.
It was 9:45.
And today was supposed to be the start of the Mid-Term Testing.
Screeching at the realization, and cursing Sousuke for not blowing her front door down and making sure she was awake, Kaname bolted for the bathroom. Turning on the shower with a forceful twist of the knob, Kaname practically ripped off her pajamas, slamming the glass door behind her as she reached for the shampoo bottle. Pouring it right onto her head, one hand had begun massaging it into her scalp as the other reached to put back the bottle and take hold of her loofah. It was then that she realized she had started washing her hair with her body wash. Afraid of what harm the different chemical mixture might do to her hair, Kaname turned and tried rinsing it out quickly, a glob of suds dripping into her eyes as she did so.
Stumbling back as she tried to rub the pain from her eyes, she lost her footing when she backed up onto her bar of soap that she had meant to pick up last time she had showered. Her foot soon flew upward, throwing off her balance and bringing her head to hit the back of the wall of the shower before falling hard on the floor. Seeing stars for a moment, Kaname rushed to get back on track, She didn't have time for any fooling around this morning! Her academic future may lie in the balance! With a fierce growl she climbed back up and finished washing herself before grabbing her towel and wrapping it around her body. Taking hold of a smaller towel, she wrapped it around her neck so that she could prepare her toothbrush. Alternating between toweling her hair and brushing her teeth, Kaname was only thankful that her blinds had been pulled shut when all the movement caused her towel to fall, the thick fabric pooling around her feet as the cool air caused her to shiver at its loss.
After spitting out the last of the foamy toothpaste, Kaname tested her hair, grateful when she found it was dry enough to blow dry. Grabbing her brush, she turned on the dryer and began running it through her long and tangled hair. Hoping that the last of her hardships was over for the moment, her rising spirits fell as a portion of her brush that held the teeth in place feel apart from the rest of the brush, leaving it hanging in the mass of tangles as her hand continued with its downward momentum. "AAAHHHH! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
Untangling the teeth of her now broken brush, Kaname set to work trying to furiously comb out the remaining tangles with her fingers. Another peek at the clock had her deciding that her efforts on her hair were good enough for the time being, and grabbed a scrunchie to pull it up into a ponytail. It would have to do until she left school later and had time to buy a new brush. Finishing with the bathroom, Kaname ran over to her closet, searching through the multitudes of hangars before feeling her spirits fall even further. She had forgotten to do laundry yesterday, thus, no clean uniforms.
It seemed she was going to have to deal with a lot today, so deciding to simply grin and bear it, Kaname donned the same uniform she had worn the day before, cringing as it still sported the stain from when she had dropped some of her lunch in her lap. Finally feeling ready, Kaname grabbed hold of her school bag and locked the door, nearly sprinting down the hall and beginning her descent down the stairs. Just as she was about to set foot on the ground floor, she remembered that she had left her homework on the desk in her room, along with the notes she had made for Sousuke to use. Her shoes skidding on the tiles, Kaname let out what she would later describe as a combination of a growl and a scream, her muscles aching already as she took two stairs at a time trying to get back to her apartment and retrieve the needed papers.
Finally able to leave the building, the toe of Kaname's shoe caught in a groove in the sidewalk, tripping her before making it to the corner across from the station. With a light hiss, Kaname twisted to try and see how badly she had scraped her knee when she finally took a good look at her feet. It was no wonder why she had tripped: she had on a high-heeled sandal on one foot, and a running shoe on the other. Rolling her eyes at the thought that she could actually have had something that ridiculous happen to her, she carefully stood and brushed herself off as best she could. Still limping as she pushed the button for the crosswalk, Kaname made the mistake of wondering if things could possibly get any worse...right before a speeding car splashed gutter water all over her from the waist down as it tried to make the light before it turned.
Her skirt was completely soaked, and she was fairly certain that the mismatched shoes she wore would be ruined after today as well. Trying desperately not to cry at how ridiculous her luck was so far, Kaname made her way over to the platform, awaiting the train that would take her to school. Her saving grace was that it was late enough that not many people were awaiting the train at the moment. Most of them had already gone to work or school, leaving the loading platform somewhat deserted for the time being. Glad when the tail finally pulled up, Kaname came out of her depressed stupor just in time for the door to close behind her. Taking hold of the bar, Kaname leaned back and tried to forget about how bad things had been going this morning. Glancing across the small space, the empty seat in front of her certainly looked inviting enough, and thought that maybe taking a breather would be in her best interest.
As soon as she moved far enough from the door, Kaname heard a sickening rip from behind her, a chill going up her spine as her mind started spinning at the possibilities of just what could have happened this time. Almost afraid to look, she forced her head to turn, finding that her skirt had gotten caught in the door, and now had a rip in it about three inches long. A deep frown on her face, she was about to hang her head in defeat when her neck met with some resistance, and a slight degree of pain coming from her head. A second look then told her that the end of her ponytail had gotten caught in the door as well. With a heavy sigh, Kaname surrendered to the mechanical door, leaning back and waiting for the doors to re-open and set both her hair and skirt free.
After finally exiting the train and scanning her ticket, Kaname felt her shoulders sag at the sight that graced her. Barricades and caution tape were blocking the sidewalk and a good portion of the street, and large detour signs were flashing from their electronic screens. Her vision clouding for a second, she blinked away the impending tears and put on a determined face. Kaname Chidori would NOT surrender to the fates today! Rushing over to the nearest worker, she tapped him on the shoulder, and waited for him to acknowledge her. "Can I help you miss?"
"Yeah, what's the quickest way to Jindai Municipal High School from here?"
"Jindai? Well I guess you would have to take the detour through the shopping center, but that's somethin' around four city blocks."
"The shopping center huh? Great, thanks!"
"Why are you in such a hurry? It's not like it's a-" But the worker's question fell on deaf ears. As soon as she got the information she needed, Kaname ignored the pain from her earlier falls and took off as fast as her legs would carry her. Once reaching the entrance to the shopping center, Kaname's eyes swept over her potential obstacles. Children were with their relatives, a few college students and young adults gathered near the shops and large fountain in the center, benches and chairs were scattered intermittingly throughout the people, and a Bonta-kun was handing out balloons by the children's play area. Not exactly the ideal place to run, but as she looked down at her watch, she felt her adrenalin rise. She had already missed first period, as well as the majority of second, but if she succeeded, she sure as hell would not miss third!
Taking a deep breath, Kaname mentally prepared herself for the difficult sprint, knowing that even one slip up could result in more than just herself being hurt. Her eyes snapping open, she took off, the blood already pumping furiously through her veins. Dodging this way and that through the multitudes of walkers, Kaname leapt, just barely avoiding a child that ran out from behind a planter on his way to see his mother. Still moving quickly, she climbed her way up onto a set of tables as she took leaping steps from one to the other. Idly, she had to wonder if playing so many video games actually paid off, what with the odd feats she was performing. Coming to the last table, she leapt high, coming down to slide on the tile and under the outstretched arm of the Bonta-kun as he held his large gathering of balloons.
Coming to a harsh stop as she slid into a trash can, Kaname stood and resumed her dash, ducking and weaving through people as if they were standing still. Once finally through the shopping center, her view of the street ahead was practically deserted, a ray of hope for her as she ran as fast as she could toward the school. The large gate had been closed and padlocked already, and after skidding to a stop, Kaname tried pulling at them, hoping that maybe the lock would shake loose and let her in. After so many tries, she gave up and started to try climbing the gate, her mismatched shoes making it more difficult than usual as one shoe had too much grab, and the other had almost none at all. Still frustrated at not being able to scale the fence, the panic in her growing as to whether or not Fujisaki-sensei would let her take the test after being so late, the second she noticed Onuki-san making his way across the yard, she began jumping and waving in a desperate attempt to get his attention.
"ONUKI-SAN! ONUKI-SAN! OVER HERE!"
"Hm? Ch-Chidori-san?"
"Yes! Onuki-san! Please open the gate right away! I need to get in there now!"
"Why is that Chidori-san?"
"Huh? W-What do you mean 'why'? I'm super late for the Mid-Term Testing! My grades depend on it!"
"Mid-Term Testing?"
"YES! NOW FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THINGS HOLY, WOULD YOU PLEASE LET ME IN!"
"But Chidori-san, it's Sunday." For a moment she could have sworn that he was speaking a different language. The words that he had spoken just couldn't be true! Not after everything she had been through so far! Her frantic movements slowing to a stop, she stood there frozen to the ground as her voice weakly asked him to repeat himself.
"...w-what did you...?"
"Why yes, it's Sunday. Mid-Term Testing doesn't start until tomorrow." She knew that he was just offering simple information, but if she didn't feel bad enough already, she felt infinitely worse when he spoke again. "What happened to you Chidori-san? You look horrible."
Her knees gave out on her, her hands trailing down the tall bars as she fell, the tears breaking free as her frustration came to a head after realizing her stupidity. How could she have been so stupid? It made sense too, now that she stopped to think on it. Sousuke always made sure she was alright if she didn't show up at school like clockwork, and her phone had no missed numbers from him at all. There were no calls missed from anyone else from the school either. That really should have been her first clue to avoiding this whole mess. Her shoulders beginning to shake, she just wanted to crawl under a rock and hide away from everything. Hearing the sound of footsteps coming toward her direction, Kaname was hoping that it was just some random passer-by. She wasn't sure exactly what she would do if it was someone she knew.
"Chidori? Chidori, what happened to you?" Turning slowly at the familiar voice, Kaname met the worried gaze of her boyfriend. Clad in only his sweats and a t-shirt, he must have been out for a jog before coming upon her in such a pitiful state. "Chidori, please, what happened? Y-you look...w-well, uh...I-I, well I like the way you normally look. Were you being pursued by terrorists?" Her tears now coming down in rivers, Kaname practically ran to him, burying her face in his chest as she cried out her frustrations.
Sousuke was still greatly confused at finding his girlfriend crying her very soul out on the street in front of the school, dressed in...well he was sure it must have been her uniform at one point, though he couldn't really account for her choice in shoes at the moment. Nodding to Onuki, Sousuke put together a plan as he watched the old man retreat back to his duties.
Gently bringing up her face to wipe away the tears, Sousuke made sure to get a good look at her in order to assess what needed to be done. Her hair was still slightly damp and tangled toward the bottom, her mismatched shoes had probably been ruined from the way they looked, and there appeared to be a few light scrapes on her legs as well. Most likely those would hurt later once she realized they were there, but he'd save that for a later time. Making up his mind, he quickly checked to make sure he had his wallet in his back pocket. "Sousuke? What are you, *sniff*, what are you doing?"
"Are you alright to walk Chidori?"
"Uh, I...yes. But why?"
"Come with me then." Taking her hand, he lightly tugged and had her start following him as he walked back the direction she came.
"Sousuke? Where are we going?"
"We're going to get you all cleaned up, then you're going to relax and have lunch with me. Is any of this a problem?" Kaname stood speechless, her hand hanging limp within his as she stared at him, wondering who he was and what he had done with the Sousuke Sagara she knew. He was supposed to be completely and utterly clueless, he was supposed to be asking her if she had been running from potential terrorists, he was supposed to not know what to do in these situations. Yet there he stood, dragging her off to be cleaned up, and willing to try and make things better where they had been getting progressively worse all morning. All at once she was touched at the notion that he would attempt to make things better like he was, and she found herself wiping away a few more tears before lifting a hopeful smile to him.
"No, it's fine. Thank you Sousuke."
Kaname tried to not notice how many people were staring at her appearance, though it was difficult when nearly all conversation died down when she walked by, her boyfriend still leading her as they walked through the shopping center. Bringing up a hand, to block her view to one side, Kaname could feel the blush on her cheeks as they approached their first stop. "Sousuke, are you sure about this? I mean, we could always just go home and-"
"No, this is best. Trust me." Left with no argument, she simply followed as he opened the shop's glass door for her. As soon as the door closed, Kaname noticed how quiet it was inside, soft and soothing music coming from the speakers on the ceiling floated down into what appeared to be a lobby of some kind. Momentarily confused, Kaname almost turned and walked right back out, until Sousuke pushed lightly on her back, urging her forward.
"S-Sousuke, what is this place?"
"It's the Shizukesa Spa."
"Uh! A spa!"
"Affirmative."
"B-b-but Sousuke! Do you have any idea how much things like this cost? And how would you of all people know what the hell a spa is?"
"It won't be a problem...and Mao told me." Left in shock, Sousuke approached the counter to speak with the young woman, indicating the sad state his girlfriend had found herself in after her catastrophic morning. "She needs to clean up and relax. And please be mindful of her legs, they have a few scrapes on them today."
"Of course sir. Um, what should we do about her clothes? Would you like them back?"
"That won't be necessary. It will be taken care of."
"I understand sir, she's in good hands. Right this way Chidori-sama."
"Uh, but-" The girl came from behind the counter, a large grin on her face as she walked behind Kaname and began gently pushing her toward the double doors leading to the treatment area. She struggled only for a moment, not wanting any of the dirt and grime that stuck to her to damage any of the products on the glass covered shelves.
"Sorry but he's already paid for us to take care of you. This way please."
"Sousuke!"
"I will return shortly Chidori. Don't worry, it's not a problem for me."
"But...that's not what I was gonna say!" Realizing that her words fell on deaf ears as the double doors swung closed, Kaname just gave in to the gentle hands pushing her down the pristine hallway. Calming down a little, Kaname started walking on her own power as the girl from the front came next to her, the friendly smile still stuck on the girl's face. "You didn't really have to do this you know..."
"Of course we do, your boyfriend already paid for-"
"So you're going to do this, even if it's against my will?" The girl stopped as Kaname finished yelling at her, the guilt coming up quickly and reminding Kaname that she was just doing her job. With a sigh, and large slump of her shoulders, she turned to apologize when she got a good look at the girl's expression. She was smiling even more brightly than before, though it was more creepy than anything else right now. "Uh...listen, I'm not usually like this, so..."
"Chidori-sama, do you know that most of our customers have to practically beg their husbands and boyfriends for the chance to come here to relax?"
"Eh, t-they do?"
"Yes. But yours brought you here on his own in an effort to cheer you up. And with what he just paid, I'd love to be in your shoes right now." Kaname had a blank look on her face as she glanced down at the mismatched disasters on her feet, the girl following her gaze as a blush came to her cheeks. "Theoretically of course!"
"Ok, ok, I get it. So what am I gonna have done to me today anyway?"
"Well, he paid for you to receive the total Zen Package today Chidori-sama. So we'll be giving you a facial, full body massage and exfoliating scrub, a hot oil treatment for your hair, a full cuticle treatment and you can choose whether or not you'd also like your nails painted."
"Oh. So...how much does all this normally cost anyway?"
"64,140 yen." Kaname stopped in the hall, her muscles frozen at just how much Sousuke had paid for her to get all of those things done. Her mind racing a million miles a minute on exactly how long it would take her to pay him back for this on her part-time salary, the girl lead her along to one of the changing rooms so she could get out of her ragged uniform and into a hot shower.
Kaname's eyes closed slowly as the hair dresser gently pulled the brush through her long hair, already feeling far more relaxed and refreshed than she had in a long time. Once the woman was finished, she tied her hair back loosely with a clean version of her usual red ribbon at the back of her neck."You're all set Chidori-sama, you can get dressed anytime."
Kaname tensed up at that, remembering that she had been told to throw away her clothes back when she first arrived. Turning to face the young lady who had so kindly brushed out her hair, she smiled faintly as she tried to tell her the problem. "Uh, well...you see, um..."
"Yes?"
"M-my clothes...eh, they were..."
"Oh, so Sumiko-chan didn't tell you did she?"
"Tell me what?"
"The young man who brought you here returned and left you some fresh new clothes. We put them in locker number 23 in the changing room for you." Still feeling a little apprehensive, Kaname carefully stood and followed another of the attendants to the changing room. Thankfully, it was simple enough to find the locker they had let her use, unlocking it with the small orange key that had been left in the lock for her. Pulling out the large plastic bag that sat inside, she opened it to find a small note with her name written on it. Kaname smiled as she noticed that it was written in Sousuke's familiar, sloppy script, and for a moment she had to wonder if all men had nearly illegible handwriting.
Chidori,
Please excuse the intrusion, but I retrieved some fresh underclothes for you. I also took one of your photos with me and took it to that clothing shop you like. Not to worry, I double checked the perimeter, and there doesn't seem to be any hidden traps or bombs. I will be waiting for you in the lobby.
Sagara Sousuke
Blushing at the thought of him actually going into her underwear drawer and getting her some fresh panties and a bra, she almost burst out in laughter as she imagined the look on his face as he did so, her own embarrassment replaced by the humorous image of her soldier being very red-faced and thinking of the many ways he could be killed for going into that drawer without her permission. Opening the blue bag, she was surprised to find that he actually had done pretty well. A light pink camouflage halter top with a darker pink lace on the bottom, a white denim skirt, and a new pair of white wedge sandals with small pink flowers beaded on top. She would have to remember to commend him for learning all that he had about her since they met, though she really should have seen the camouflage part coming. Some things never change. Taking the bag with her into one of the changing stalls, Kaname pulled on her new clothes, being mindful of freshly painted nails as she did so.
Dumping the robe and slippers into the basket near the locker room door, Kaname flinched when she got a look at the time on her wristwatch. Her entire treatment had taken almost three whole hours. Coming out into the lobby, she was about to start apologizing for making him wait so long, when he beat her to the punch. "No need to apologize Chidori. I was already aware of how long it would take."
"Eh, but Sousuke you-"
"Are you feeling any better now?" For the second time today, he left her completely speechless. He was really too sweet sometimes without even knowing it. Weakly nodding in response, Sousuke took her hand and lead her out through the large glass doors, waving when the girl behind the counter wished them well as they left.
Sitting patiently on the park bench, Kaname's shoulders were still slumped as she waited for Sousuke to return. It just seemed as though at every turn, there was something waiting to go wrong today. What in the world had she done to deserve such horrible luck anyway? Had she pissed off some mystical deity and this was their revenge on her? Or could it be karma catching up with her for all the times she had jumped to conclusions and hit Sousuke before he could explain? There were endless possibilities actually, and she could feel the massive headache building as her mind worked to find the most obvious, regardless of the futility of it.
While they had been sitting in a new pizza place that had opened up sometime earlier the month before, the waiter had arrived in the middle of their conversation to apologize to them. When Sousuke had asked what for, they had been told that due to a bubble on the pizza dough, it had exploded in the oven. Kaname could have sworn that the fear that clung to her boyfriend was a tangible form as he awaited punishment for yet another random explosion. Though it perhaps had worried him even more when Kaname had admitted that there was no way he could have been responsible for anything this time. Though the manager had offered them a free replacement, Kaname's mood was still dragging.
Now as she sat on the park bench, one leg thrown over the other, she counted the seconds until the next thing would go wrong for her today. Just about the only thing that hadn't happened was an attempted kidnapping from potential terrorists. "Chidori?"
"Hm?"
"Here, maybe this will help?" Kaname weakly raised her head, still half expecting for the world to end any second when her gaze focused on the blueberry crepe being held out to her. Sousuke had a drink for himself in his other hand, and though most people would assume he had no expression what-so-ever, to her, he seemed hopeful that perhaps this time she might be cheered up a little. Taking hold of the offered crepe, Kaname leaned in to take a bite as Sousuke moved to sit next to her. Before she could even taste the sweet whipped cream, the bottom portion of the treat gave out. With a sound Kaname might have described as 'sploosh', her brand new, pristine white denim skirt was now covered in whipped cream, blueberries, crepe, and paper.
If that had been the only thing to happen that day, then her face might have mirrored that of her boyfriend, who now had a look of complete and utter disbelief. With a deep sigh and droop of her shoulders, Kaname reached to the napkins he'd brought over and began wiping off the tasty remnants of her treat. "Uh...K-Kaname?"
"It's okay Sousuke. I'm just *sigh*...I'm going home."
"Eh, but-"
"No it's alright. I know you meant well, and I really appreciate all you've done for me. Today just isn't my day is all, so I'm going to just go home and hope I can sleep through the rest of it." Straightening her now stained skirt as she stood, she turned to give him a quick kiss before heading in the direction of the train station. "I'll see you in the morning at school Sousuke."
Watching her walk away as he sat on the bench, he sipped at his lemonade thoughtfully. There just had to be some way of getting the smile back on her face. Thinking back on the long string of unfortunate events she had told him about from the moment she woke up, Sousuke started to form a plan. Taking out his cell phone, he dialed the number of the only other woman who could always spell things out for him. Hoping that she wasn't busy, he was relieved when she answered her cell, letting out the breath he was holding when she answered. "Mao, it's me."
"Sousuke? Is something wrong? You don't really sound all that great."
"I need you to help me with something if you could."
"If I can, then sure. What's up?"
"Thank you. You see, it all started this morning..."
Kaname's head still hung low as she approached the school building, the events from the previous day still affecting her overall mood. Though today was currently going far more favorably, she was still worried that if she tried to look on the brighter side, it might backfire on her and send her right back to how things were yesterday. Trading out her shoes and walking down the hall, Kaname tried to ignore the chatter of the other students as they went on about the fun they may have had on the weekend. Finally reaching her class, she slid open the door, her eyes going wide as her eyes focused on her usual seat.
Sitting on top of her desk was a large basket, a yellow ribbon at the top, and filled with all sorts of presents, a card nudged gently between a small box of candy and the edge of the weaving wood. Getting a better look at the contents of the basket, she put a hand to her mouth, feeling the tears gathering at the care and thought that had been put into it. A bottle of 2in1 Hair and Body Wash, a small box of candy that looked to be from a very expensive shop, a pair of new wedge sandals and a coupon for new running shoes, a small box of cute band-aids, a new brush set with a matching comb and curling brush, and a small Bonta-kun behind it all holding a small bouquet of white and yellow roses. It had to be one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen, not to mention received in as long as she could remember.
Her senses finally coming back to her, she heard Kyoko trying to get her attention. "Oh my gosh Kana-chan! It's so pretty! What's it for?"
"I...I don't-"
"It isn't for anything Tokiwa." Both girls turned at his interjection, surprised that he had showed up so suddenly. "From what I understand, gifts don't need any specific purpose other than to make someone happy." Kaname felt the first of the tears she was fighting to hold back run down her cheek. Never had she ever expected anyone to do something so completely selfless and sweet for her. Still unable to form any words to respond, Kaname almost melted when he lowered his gaze to look at her, seeing the emotion that usually hid behind steel grey. "I am not mistaken, am I Chidori?"
Turning quickly, Kaname all but jumped on him as she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders, her tears finally breaking free and running down her face. Knowing what he had tried to do for her, and what he had done, suddenly the day before didn't seem as bad as it used to.